1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a mounting device for signs, and more particularly to an improved latch assembly for selectively retaining and supporting a latch associated with a flip display of a sign in desired configuration.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Commercial signs are designed to display advertising and images for products or services. However, some information or images related to the products or services may vary over the duration of time in which the sign is viewed by consumers. In certain applications, the fluctuation of the information requires frequent changes directly on the sign. For example, the price of a product or the time of a service, such as a viewing of a movie, may fluctuate. Many signs provide a manner in which information on the sign can be displayed but cannot easily be modified.
Signs commonly used to display frequently changing information may include flip displays that allow changes in the information or images. Flip displays have a plurality of panels bearing alphanumeric information or images. The panels are located next to each other so that one panel can be flipped to change the information or image displayed. For example, if two panels are next to each other, a first panel located in an upper panel position bears the upper half of a number upon it and the second panel located in a lower panel position bears the lower half of a number upon it such that the two panels form a complete number. Additional panels bearing additional information or images are located beneath the first and second panels, stacked and hidden out of view. This set of flip panels is arranged to allow flipping of each panel from one position to another. Thus, the second panel can be flipped into an upper panel position over the first panel, thereby exposing a third panel in the lower panel position and the second side of the second panel in the upper panel position. With the panels retained in this configuration, information or images on the third panel and newly exposed second side of the second panel are viewed.
A latch or turn piece is located adjacent the flip panels and positionable to retain the panels in a desired configuration. More specifically, each panel can be flipped when the latch which retains the panels or stacks the panels against the sign is moved from a locked position to an unlocked position. Conventional latches are secured to the sign with a rivet or similar fastener. While such a latch assembly has provided an adequate means for retaining the flip display in a desired configuration, several drawbacks have been realized. For example, the head of a riveted fastener may disrupt the information displayed on the sign. Furthermore, it can be difficult to control the friction generated at the interface of the sign and the latch, whereby too much or too little friction is provided at the latch/sign interface. Furthermore, in certain configurations where a single rivet is used to support a pair of latches disposed on opposite sides of the sign, certain undesirable rotational coupling between the pair of latches occur. As such, the rivet or support moves and rotates as a result of the rotation of the first latch, which in turn rotates the second latch. In view of these and other drawbacks of conventional latch assemblies, there is a need for an improved latch assembly for use on a display sign having a flip display which allows independent rotation of each lever.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved latch assembly to rotatably support a pair of latches for retaining flip displays on a sign. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved latch assembly which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to install and easy to operate. These and other objects are provided by a latch assembly and sign display apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the latch assembly includes a latch pin having a neck interconnecting a pair of axle portions and a pair of levers rotatably supported on the axle portions. The latch assembly permits independent rotation of one lever while the other lever remains in a stationary position.